


Golden Eyes, Dark Soul

by MssSweatherWeather



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Azriel captured, Azriel needs a hug, Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Other, POV Azriel (ACoTaR), POV Cassian (ACoTaR), POV Multiple, Pre-Book 3: A Court of Wings and Ruin, acomaf, bat boys - Freeform, i don't know what I am doing, tw: torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:00:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28751055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MssSweatherWeather/pseuds/MssSweatherWeather
Summary: No matter where he went, no matter where Rhys ordered him to spy, Azriel always came back.But this time it's different.(takes place during ACOMAF)
Relationships: Azriel & Cassian & Rhysand (ACoTaR), Azriel & Cassian (ACoTaR), Azriel & Morrigan (ACoTaR), Azriel & Rhysand (ACoTaR), Azriel/Cassian (ACoTaR), Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Golden Eyes, Dark Soul

The silence was nerve-wracking.

Rhys looked pale and restless, while Feyre had placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him and with no doubt reassuring him gently with words in mind.  
Cassian himself felt tired. Not tired from waiting hours for news, but tired of his own constant worrying.  
This morning Rhys had stormed into his room and started talked about how he had heard Azriel reaching out to him. He was way too far away for Rhys to get into his head, even when he shadowsinger had apparently opened his mind fully, trying to get the High Lord in. The only thought Rhys had caught was one word: trouble.  
Azriel was in trouble.  
Normally this meant, Az would abort his mission and come back home but he hadn't returned yet.  
Cassian nervously reached for a glass of water and cleared his throat. His friend had been gone for weeks, trying to find a way into Hybern and spy on the king and ... whatever was going on there. He had told them, that it was hardly possible but Rhys had encouraged him to try again and of course Azriel wasted no time going back to Hybern. He would have done it anyway, even without Rhysand's order.

Now Rhys felt guilty and has been quiet for a long time, which was really freaking Cassian out.  
The door of the city house bursted open and Mor came him, looking just as exhausted as Cassian felt. Rhys immediately stood up. "Did you find anything?" He asked hopefully, but Mor shook her head. "Nothing. I couldn't find him." She eyed him up. "Maybe you misunderstood, Rhys. You said it yourself, you couldn't get into his head. What if he meant, he solved the problem and got in?" She hopefully proposed.  
"No, I did not misunderstand him." Rhys seemed on edge. "He is in trouble and that you found him nowhere proves that. Otherwise he would have returned to Velaris."  
Mor smiled wearily. "We're talking about Azriel, Rhys. He can handle himself."  
"Only because he never dares to ask for help." Cassian heard himself say and silence swept over the living room again.  
Feyre went over to Mor. "So what do we do?" She looked at Cassian. "We can't go to Hybern if we're not certain that he is indeed there and needs help."  
"We wouldn't get far anyway." Mor muttered and seated herself besides Cassian. Feyre circled the room and kept on suggesting ways to find Azriel but Cassian didn't even listen.  
He thought about Az.  
About the moment he last saw him before he went to Hybern again. Three weeks ago.  
What if he had been in trouble since his arrival in the kingdom of their enemy and just now was able to sendt this 'message'. What if Azriel needed his help? What if someone had hurt him...

Cassian remembered the slight smile on his lips before he got up and left him. _"We can talk about this when I'm back. Not... now, please." He had said, stretching his wings._  
_Cassian had only watched him. "Alright. But hurry up. And Az, I really do want to talk about this."_  
_Azriel had paused, his shoulders stiff. "We're friends right, Cass?"_  
_"Yeah, of course, dumbass." Cassian had responded with a smirk._  
_"Good." And then Az had gone, leaving Cassian behind with a bunch of remarkable new memories._

If someone had hurt Azriel, he would kill everyone who layed a hand on him. He just now realised how his hands had turned into fists, as he noticed Rhys staring at him. Apparently his violent thoughts weren't so well hidden as he supposed them to be be.  
The High-Lord bit his lip. "I could travel to Hybern...diplomatically and request an audience with the king."  
"No." Feyre immediately protested. "It's too dangerous."  
"But we allowed Az to go there! I can't stay here because it's too dangerous when I sendt my friend to go! What kind of High-Lord - _friend_ \- does that? Stay behind and do nothing while he is in trouble."  
Mor sighed. "We need to wait a few days. Give Azriel the chance to reach out again. Until then, we're busy enough with the book."  
"Amren doesn't need us to help her!" Rhys claimed, but then just turned away and took in a deep breath. "Cassian, you have been awfully quiet." He then noted and looked at the general.  
Cassian nodded. "I think Mor is right. We don't know enough yet. You're feeling guilty, I get it, but we have to think rationally. You going to Hybern is a threat we can't risk."  
Feyre looked thankfully at him and then hugged Rhys. "He knows what he is doing. Azriel is strong and powerful. He is fine."

Cassian hoped she was right.

••••

Azriel was familiar with darkness. But normally the darkness was on his side and he could count on it as an ally. 

Not now. Not in this cell.

The shadowsinger could barely move, his mind and body strained from the ash shivers, that kept his wound from healing properly. The shadows were thickening around him, protecting him from whatever would happen next. He ached in pain, as he tried to move his right wing, the one, where the ash arrow had hit him and nearly pinned him to the ground. The shadows were whispereing, it almost sounded like an apology, but Azriel honestly didn't care. He got caught. He had one job, his whole life, his whole purpose, was to not get caught and he _failed_. He even had to reach out to Rhysand, bothering him. He hoped, that his call didn't reach the High Lord so Rhys wouldn't think of him as pathetic. But he was, wasn't he? He walked right into Hybern's trap. Why would he believe that after months of tracking and trying to get in, suddenly a door opend to let him in? A crack in the shields of the castle, an obvious trap but Azriel had still walked in. He remembered the shadows screaming at him, then screaming with him as the arrows rained down on him. _He was pathetic._

The door opend and Azriel could see three Fae standing in the frame. They couldn't see him though. "It's so dark. Where is the Illyrian?" One of them asked and Azriel silently thanked the shadows for keeping him hidden. "Dumbass, he is a shadowsinger. He hides like a coward, of course. Probably wishing he wouldn't have left the Night Court. You think, you can sit in there and wait for your High-Lord?"

Azriel tensed.

"The king wants to speak to the Night Court's spymaster, you should just come with us." The male continued. 

Azriel still didn't move.

The Fae sighed. "Aesin, hand me the torch, we need some light i here." 

When Azriel, trapped in a dark cell, saw the flames of a torch come closer to him, his golden eyes widend in panic and the shadows twichted.

"Ah, there you are, shadowsinger." The Fae smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> if you liked this maybe leave a comment:)


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